The Indian Premier League 2024 is into its home stretch with as many as nine teams in the hunt to grab a playoffs spot.
Mumbai Indians, on Wednesday, became the first team to get knocked out of the tournament after Sunrisers Hyderabad romped to a 10-wicket victory against Lucknow Super Giants.
HERE IS HOW THE IPL POINTS TABLE LOOKS RIGHT NOW
Although Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Rajasthan Royals have the most points so far, even they have not secured a place in the crunch phase of IPL 2024.
Sportstar takes you through what every team needs to do to make it to the next phase of the competition:
KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS
Kolkata Knight Riders has 16 points from 11 games and can get to a maximum of 22 points. One win for the side will guarantee a spot in the top four as no other side apart from the current top four can secure 18 points or more.
The Shreyas Iyer-led side, however, would want to secure the full points up for grabs to boost its chances of playing in the Qualifier 1. It plays Mumbai Indians, Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals next.
RAJASTHAN ROYALS
Rajasthan Royals has the same number of points as KKR in as many games but sits second only due to an inferior net run rate. One more win will assure a playoffs spot.
It plays Chennai Super Kings, Punjab Kings and KKR in its remaining fixtures and winning all would help it finish in the top two.
SUNRISERS HYDERABAD
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) has 14 points from 12 games and its net run rate saw a healthy jump after its mauling of Lucknow Super Giants on Wednesday.
Although the qualification threshold remains 18 points for SRH too. But if Delhi Capitals (DC) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) lose one game each, SRH can secure a spot with just 16 points as well.
If it loses both its remaining games, it would hope DC and LSG also do not get more than 14 points to stay in the hunt via net run rate.
CHENNAI SUPER KINGS
Chennai Super Kings is one of the three teams fighting it out for potentially the fourth and final spot. CSK has 12 points from 11 games and would want to all remaining games – against Gujarat Titans, Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru – to avoid any late heartbreaks.
If CSK loses all three games, and LSG and DC win their games, CSK will be knocked out. Ruturaj & Co can also be involved in a potential tie at 14 points with as many as four other teams.
DELHI CAPITALS
Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants are direct contenders for a spot as both have 12 points from 12 games. The two face off later in the tournament.
For DC to qualify safely, it needs to get its maximum-possible tally of 16 points, and hope CSK loses two of its remaining games.
The side can also be locked at the same number of points, either 14 or 16, depending on various results, for which it needs to start working on improving its net run rate..
LUCKNOW SUPER GIANTS
Lucknow Super Giants did not help its cause when it went down to Sunrisers Hyderabad tamely. If it loses to DC also, it needs at least 14 points to stay in the hunt on net run rate.
Further, the fact that it plays its final two games away from home does not help its case. Out of all the teams in the middle-table scrap, LSG is the worst-positioned to make it.
ROYAL CHALLENGERS BENGALURU
Royal Challengers Bengaluru has eight points in 11 games and can get to a maximum of 14 if it wins its remaining three.
If CSK loses all its games and DC vs LSG gets washed out, RCB will qualify as the lone team with 14 points. However, this is an unlikely scenario and RCB will need its net run rate to contend for the last spot.
A loss against Punjab Kings on Thursday will knock RCB out of IPL 2024.
PUNJAB KINGS
Punjab Kings is in an identical situation to RCB. A loss to Faf du Plessis' side will lead to elimination.
The best chance for PBKS to qualify is to get to 14 points and hope other results and net run rate go its way.
GUJARAT TITANS
Gujarat Titans is currently last in the standings with eight points from 11 games, and is hanging on to its playoff chances by a thread. It plays CSK next and a loss will eliminate it.
Even if GT wins all its games, it will still need to rely on other results going its way to stay in the hunt via net run rate.